TrekInk: Preview Of “The Last Generation” Comic Mini-series

What small things will change the destinies of a man’s life, and what trials might people have to go through to show their mettle. Andrew Steven Harris’ new comic series "The Last Generation" will examine the plight of a group of survivors as they fight against the Klingon Empire. See below for our preview of the series including comments from the author and exclusive artwork.

Next month, IDW’s "Last Generation" begins with its first issue, "Do Not Close Your Eyes". Andrew Steven Harris is the author of the five-issue alternative timeline series that is akin to the stories within the recent Pocket Book’s Myriad Universes anthologies. "Last Generation” is set in a universe where James T. Kirk was unable to prevent the assassination of the Federation President at the end of Star Trek VI, and the Klingons have been able to conquer Earth. Seventy years later (in what should be the TNG era) is where the story picks up, with Picard leading a resistance on Earth, and Worf being the Terran Warlord.

Cover for TLG Issue #1 shows key characters
(click to enlarge)

In "The Last Generation" All the members of the Next Generation crew are present (including Pulaski, Wesley and Tasha Yar) and most of them are members of Picard’s ‘Resistance’ cell. There will be cameos for characters from Voyager, Deep Space Nine and even The Original Series. Harris also says "keep your eye out for continuity Easter eggs throughout, including some nods to the Trek novels." However readers should not expect to see the ships of the TNG era, as the USS Excelsior is the last surviving ship from the old Starfleet. TLG’s story focuses on Picard’s last desperate gambit to resist the Klingons who have returned to their more brutal ways. Unlike the stories of the Myriad Universe anthology, Picard and friends will come to realize they are in an alternative timeline. However that does not mean that the series will resolve like past Trek alternative timeline episodes. Harris notes "I have never been a fan of the reset button."

This five issue collection tells one epic story, however Harris tells TrekMovie that “each issue has its own natural beginning, middle and end, like chapters in a book, or perhaps like the Dominion War episodes from Deep Space Nine, where each installment stands on its own but is first and foremost part of an overall saga.” Harris got high marks for his Picard/Locutus character-focused Borg issue of the IDW’s Alien Spotlight series, but he also took to heart comments that the story would have played out even better as a longer mini-series. Harris says that TLG’s longer format and alternate universe story, allows him “the time and space to do that type of character introspection with an entire cast of individuals, rather of just one…They’re all in an incredibly dangerous, desperate situation, and that allows their character traits to come into much sharper focus.”

Worf sporting a Chang-like patch on the cover of Issue #3
(click to enlarge)

Over the course of the five issues of "The Last Generation", Harris holds the writing duties while Gordon Purcell (“Year Four: Enterprise Experiment”) handles the pencils. Mario Boon will be doing the colors for the series, and first came to Harris’ attention with his work on the Vulcan Alien Spotlight issue. JK Woodward (“Fallen Angel”) is contributing a cover for each issue, and a second cover for each issue will be done by various artists, including Pablo Raimondi (“X-Factor”) on the first issue, Robert Atkins (IDW’s upcoming “GI Joe” series) on the second, Joe Corroney on the third, and Gordon Purcell himself on the fourth.

Is it me or have all the IDW trek comics have been terrible?
With the exception of a couple of the Alien spotlights none of these have really worked for me.
I think they’ve also put out too much at the same time instead of concentrating on one monthly comic with solid writing.
The only IDW stuff I have high hopes for at this point is next year’s Star Trek Countdown. Hopefully I won’t be let down by that too.

October 21, 2008 7:50 pm

Bones, Thugs and McCoy

I can hardly keep up with all the IDW releases, but this looks absolutely unmissable.

Sounds pretty cool. I wonder what part Data plays in all of this. And who’s the old guy on the cover for the first issue? Is that supposed to be Kirk? He’s aged a bit better in that timeline. :-D

I might have to check this one out. :)

October 21, 2008 7:56 pm

bobfred

#4-don’t worry, it’s just you

October 21, 2008 8:29 pm

Enterprise

Looks nice! I’ll wait for the trade paperback though.

October 21, 2008 9:38 pm

Seamus

The art looks like crap. Sorry that eye patch is so lame–it looks pasted on. I am a big fan of comics and a bigger fan of Trek alternate time lines, but the art looks like it will distract from the story.

This actually looks pretty good. I love alternate realities, especially in Trek, and this sounds like it’d be very interesting. Assuming they do it right, at least. Besides, now I wanna know what the Star Trek universe is like with Kirk failing. This sounds good enough that I’ll check it out, and usually I don’t follow the books (or comics).

October 22, 2008 2:28 am

Holger

This turns me off. Will not buy.

October 22, 2008 3:27 am

ensign joe

yo that issue 3 cover is BAD ASS!

October 22, 2008 6:43 am

DarthDogg

It seems to me that latly there have been more Alternate Reality storys done in the books, and comics than anything else. Is the regular Trek Univers we have all come to know and love so dull now that knowbody can think of anything cool to do in it, or is sticking to cannon so limiting that everyone just says, screw it, well do the story we want to do and so as not to break cannon will just stick it in Univers # 301. Oh well, no matter what univers its in, there will alway be a “The Sisko” to become Emissary. Oh, how I await his return!

October 22, 2008 6:51 am

Nate

I think the art with Wesley and Tasha is actually from a comic–the other images look like covers from several artists. And the comic page looks great! Looking forward to this–IDW doing the best Trek comics since the DC days!

October 22, 2008 8:56 am

Seamus

I’m just saying Trek deserves better art.

October 22, 2008 9:30 am

Dorothy

Wesley?! I thought that was Harry Kim.

October 22, 2008 9:43 am

Comic Book Guy

Hmm… how would the post-TUC Klingons have been able to conquer Earth? In a timeline where Kirk was unable to prevent the Federation President’s assassination surely the Klingons would’ve been defeated as they were facing extinction following the Praxis disaster?

October 22, 2008 1:51 pm

Enterprise

Looks like a Michael Bey movie.

October 22, 2008 2:54 pm

Andrew Steven Harris

Hey, glad most people seem really interested/excited about this. It’s been awesome fun to write.

#19–that question’s actually addressed in the series itself. As you point out, the Klingons after Praxis were facing extinction; so, as a warrior race, they were now in a war for their very survival–which led them to fight more ferociously than ever before, eventually leading to their conquest of Earth.